Vortex thruster for fluid propelled objects

ABSTRACT

A thruster for fluid propelled objects such as levitated vehicles, or rotating machinery to increase the efficiency of relative thrust between the relatively moving parts. The primary device is a vehicle levitated through valves acting from a duct below the track. The vortex type thruster is designed to utilize substantially all of the energy stored in the fluid which is supplied under pressure through the thruster. The thruster is made in two sections, one forming a section of the stationary member, and a complementary section mounted on the moving member.

United States Patent 1 Bloomfield et al.

[ 1 Feb. 27, 1973 VORTEX THRUSTER FOR FLUID PROPELLED OBJECTS [21] Appl.No.: 90,257

3,547,042 12/1970 OConnor ..l04/155 2,496,496 2/1950 Roth 769,425 9/1904Zahikjanz ..415/56 Primary Examiner-James B. Marbert AssistantExaminer-D. W. Keen Attorney-Dugger, Peterson, Johnson & Westman [57]ABSTRACT A thruster for fluid propelled objects such as levitatedvehicles, or rotating machinery to increase the efficiency of relativethrust between the relatively moving 52 US. Cl ..104/155, 104/23 FS,415/53 T P The P y device is a vehicle levitated 51 Int. Cl. ..B61b13/12 through valves s from a duct below the track- [58] Field of Search104/23 FS, 132, 154, 155; The vortex type thruster is designed toutilize substan- 415/53 T, 56 tially all of the energy stored in thefluid which is supplied under pressure through the thruster. The [5 6]References Cited thruster is made in two sections, one forming a sectionof the stationary member, and a complementary sec- UNITED STATES PATENTStion mounted on the moving member. 2,869,479 1/1959 Hutchinson ..104/23FS 768,210 8/1904 Wolke..... 1....415/56 10 Clams 5 Drawmg Flgul'es443,772 12/1890 Parke.. ...l04/134 3,013,505 12/1961 Burke ..l04/23 FS lf f \I\ l l\ f Z. I w 33 40 A 37 a 144/ I 1 25 22 J 30 5 V e 2 j A 1 7'I 1 42 a I VORTEX THRUSTER FOR FLUID PROPELLED OBJECTS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has relationto thrust producers for use with fluid propelled devices to producemaximum thrust from the fluid used.

2. Prior Art The production of thrust or force from air or other fluidis usually somewhat inefficient, particularly when operating withlevitated vehicles. In order to make the unit operate efficientlyvarious devices have been advanced including baffling under thevehicles, and directional nozzles ejecting air toward the vehicle.

Reentry thrust multipliers for fluid propulsion are shown in the UnitedStates patent to Goddard, U.S. Pat. No. 2,5l 1,979. Tubes which merelyredirect fluid once are shown there, and maximum utilization of thefluid energy is not achieved.

US. Pat. Nos. 969,772 and 465,151 also show turbine bucket typethrusters for propulsion of vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to means forproducing a thrust on one object in relation to another using fluidunder pressure. As shown, one form of the invention forms a thruster foruse with levitated vehicles operating along a guideway or track. Thethruster as shown comprises two sections. A nozzle section in thestationary member is located with respect to the moving member so thatit will substantially mate with a bucket section in the moving member.The air or fluid is introduced through a nozzle in the stationarysection and then the air goes to buckets in the moving section whichreturn air to buckets in the deck to produce thrust. A fluid vortexdevelops and the fluid continues to move helically between thestationary section and moving section of the thruster as they moverelative to each other. The buckets in one section include an exhaustport or opening for fluid which has spent its energy, and these exhaustports are located so that the high velocity air does not escape throughthe exhaust ports, but only after the air has slowed down is itexhausted from the system. The fluid follows a helical path transferringseveral times between the vehicle and guideway buckets thus increasingefficiency substantially. The unit is easy to make, and simple toinstall. High efficiency is produced and losses are minimized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan viewof a levitated vehicle and vehicle guideway having a thruster sectionmade according to the present invention installed thereon;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken as on line 22 in FIG. 1, with thelevitated vehicle in place exactly aligning with the section of thethruster in the guideway;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as on line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on line 44 in FIG. 2;and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section of the thruster as it would be locatedin rotating machinery.

In the device of FIG. 1, there is shown a levitated vehicle track orguideway 10 having side walls 11, 11, and a deck or floor I2. Suitablevalve means 13 are provided through the deck 12 and lead from a fluidpressure duct 14 beneath the deck to project fluid under pressurethrough the valve means to levitate a vehicle 15 that is positionedbetween the side walls 1 1,11 and which moves along the guideway. Thevehicle 15 is in position where it is just starting out, andacceleration means are provided.

The vehicle 15 can be of any desired form, but usually includes a bottomfloor l6, suitable side walls 17, and if desired, it can have an annularflexible bag seal around the edges of the vehicle. Other edge seals maybe used as well. The vehicle platform 16 clears the top of the deck 12of the guideway and the vehicle 15 is moved along in a normal directionas indicated by the arrow 18.

The acceleration means provided herewith comprise a turbine bucket typethruster, having two sections. There is a first deck section illustratedgenerally at 20 and a second vehicle section illustrated generally at21.

Each of the thruster sections is made up of a plurality of bucketmembers positioned together. For example, each of the bucket members 22of the deck section 20 is mounted within a housing 23, and eachbucketincludes an inclined wall 24 extending in a plane approximately 45to the direction of travel of the vehicle. The buckets each have abottom wall 25 which is part cylindrical in shape, and the wall ,24 ofthe next adjacent bucket closes one side of each bucket to form achamber. The deck bucket chambers are open at the top and the lowerportions thereof have a straight side wall section 26 along one sidethereof that is spaced from the part cylindrical wall 25 to form a fluidinlet nozzle 27. The nozzle 27 opens from the chamber 30 formed in thehousing 23 and into the interior cavity 31 formed in the bucket sectionsin the deck.

The end one of the thruster buckets 22 adjacent the left hand side ofFIG. 2 has a wall 32 closing off the interior chamber 31 of the endbucket.

Fluid under pressure is supplied to the chamber 30 through a valve shownschematically at 42 which can be controlled in any desired manner bymanual or automatic controls.

In the vehicle thruster section 21 there are buckets 29 that are heldtogether. These buckets 29 are formed with planar walls 33 that arealigned at an angle at approximately 45 to the direction of travel ofthe vehicle, and part cylindrical reaction walls 34 at the top portionsthereof, as perhaps best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The walls 34 joinstraight sections 34A extending down to the terminal plane along thebottom of the vehicle. The buckets 29 are enclosed within a housing 35that is attached to the floor 16 of the vehicle 15. The walls 33actually form the rear walls of the vehicle buckets, and when thebuckets are in assembly as shown in FIG. 2, the wall 34 of each of thebuckets rests against the wall 33 of the next adjacent bucket inforwardly direction, which is indicated by the arrow 38. The forward endbucket 29 of the vehicle section has a closing wall 36. The buckets 29in the vehicle are open at the bottom, and thus communicate with theopen tops of the buckets 22 in the deck or floor thruster section whenthey are aligned.

Each of the walls 34 is provided with a centrally located exhaustopening 37. The opening 37 in each of the walls 33 is positioned so thatit will discharge out of the chambers 40 formed by each of the buckets29. The openings 37 are above the walls 34 and open into a chamber 41formed by the housing 35. The housing 35 also has openings fordischarging the chamber 41 to atmosphere, and these are not shown, butcould be any desired type of discharge openings.

Acceleration and thrust is effected by introducing fluid or air underpressure through a valve 42 into the chamber 30. This air under pressurethen enters through the nozzle 27 into the buckets 22 in the tracksection, and this air is blasted out in a layer or sheet of air thatgoes out the open top of each deck bucket and enters an overlyingvehicle bucket 29, along the side wall 34A. This air then flows along asindicated by the arrow 43 in a circular path around the curved. wall 34back down into an aligning bucket 22 in the deck section, therebyproducing thrust. The curved wall of the deck section then directs thislayer of air around the curved wall 25 as shown by the arrows 44 in FIG.4, back up into the center portions of the chambers 40 in the vehiclebuckets. The air continues to move around and goes back to the deck,again producing thrust on the vehicle. The vehicle is moving forwardlyand when the air reaches the center portions of the bucket 29 it willexhaust out through the openings 37 in the vehicle buckets. The airactually forms laminations of flow, and the fluid or air velocity ofcourse is the greatest along the outer periphery that has the greatestdistance of travel, and the inner layers of the vortex are at a lowervelocity. As the velocity head of the fluid drops, its energy storedalso drops and then the slow stagnant air is discharged out through thedischarge openings 37 after maximum energy utilization. The forwardthrust is derived by reaction of the air on the vehicle buckets. The airgenerally follows a helical path, and as it slows down it spirals intowards the center where it exhausts out through the exhaust port. Theair returned from the vehicle to the deck buckets acts with differentdeck buckets each time it is cycled because the vehicle move relative tothe deck'. No thrust will result, of course, when the vehicle speedequals the horizontal component of the fluid velocity.

Although perfect alignment of the buckets is shown in FIG. 2, when thevehicle moves the bucket walls become offset. The air spirals in towardthe center of the buckets, and this means that any losses from the gapbetween the upper and lower thruster section and between the vehicle anddeck is minimized since only the outer edge of the vortex of fluidformed is near the gap. Shear forces which show up as a loss in manyturbine type thrusters help keep the air moving in this device. Thenozzle 27 ejects a layer of high velocity air that is spiraled aroundthe walls of the buckets in the vehicle and deck. The nozzle and bucketsform a vortex, acting between the buckets to give a highefficiency inutilization of energy in the air, thus giving higher acceleration forpower input in a levitated vehicle.

The levitated vehicle and tracks, as well as the operations of thevalves, can be the same as that described in the copending applicationof Roger D. Bloomfield, Ser. No. 37,691, filed May 15, 1970, and knownto these applicants.

The thruster of the present invention can also be utilized in a rotatingmachine. The construction of the buckets in both the stationary andmovable thruster sections are exactly the same. The rotating section isthe same construction as the thruster section on the vehicle, and thestationary section is the same construction as that in the track of theprevious form of the invention. Referring specifically to FIG. 5, therotating unit utilizes a stationary section 50 which is an outer annularshell of circular cross section, and this unit 50 has an outer wall 51,and a plurality of buckets 52 mounted around the periphery thereof toform a plenum chamber 53 into which air can be admitted through a valve54. This would be then like the plenum chamber underneath the vehicletrack. The buckets 52, as shown, are arranged like the buckets 22 inFIG. 2, except that they are wrapped annularly around the center ofrotation. The buckets 52.have curved end walls 55, inlets 56corresponding to the inlets 27, and walls 57 corresponding to the walls24. Air or fluid under pressure then enters from the plenum chamber 53and is directed inwardly toward the interior of the curved member 50. Arotor shown generally at 60 is rotatably mounted on suitable bearingsand with suitable supports, which are not shown, but can be of anydesired construction such as a turbine and has aseries of buckets 61which correspond to the reaction buckets 29 in the vehicle, as shown inFIG. 2. These buckets 61 have inclined walls 62, end walls 63, and theend walls 63 are curved transversely just as the walls 34. Thus, whenfluid under pressure enters from the openings 56 it would be directedtoward the rotating buckets 61, against the walls 63, and the fluidcirculates back to the buckets 52, then back to the bucket 61 and isdischarged out through openings 64 in the buckets 61 after it hascirculated in a vortex between the buckets to produce thrust. Theopenings 64 open into atmosphere to permit the air to be easilydischarged. The rotor 60 then is accelerated or thrusted with theimproved efiiciency described in connection with a straight line movingvehicle and stationary member. The increase in thrust improvesefficiency of operation.

Thus the device of the invention has applications for both linearlymovable structures and rotationally movable structures.

The buckets constructed according to the present invention could bearranged all the way around the periphery of the rotating sections, orthey could be in separated segments spaced around the periphery of therotating members to aid in thrust in certain positions of the rotor withrespect to the stator.

Of course, the inner annular member could be made the stator, and theouter peripheral member 50 could be rotating if desired.

Another feature is the possibility of combining the use of the presentthruster for high starting forces or torque and using other conventionalbucket thrusters for high speed operation.

What is claimed is:

1. A thrust producing unit for utilization of fluid pressure inpropelling levitated vehicles comprising first and second membersbetween which relative movement takes place along a plane, first meansdefining a plurality of buckets in a first of said members open indirection toward a second of said members,

second means defining complementary buckets in a second of said membersopen in direction toward said first member, fluid inlet means defined ina first bucket ona first of said members adjacent one side thereof tomove fluid toward a bucket on the second of said members, said bucketsbeing shaped to direct fluid into a return path, whereby fluid from thebucket of said second member is directed back toward said first bucketof said first member, and said first bucket in said first member furtherincluding wall means to direct said fluid returned from the secondmember back toward said second member.

2. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said buckets includewall means inclined at an oblique angle with respect to the plane ofmovement of said members and the wall means intersecting the plane ofmovement along a line which is substantially perpendicular to thedirection of movement between the members.

3. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein each of said bucketsin said second member include exhaust opening means from the centralportions thereof to atmosphere.

4. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said members comprisea track and a levitated vehicle above said track, said exhaust meansbeing defined in the buckets in said levitated vehicle.

5. A fluid thrust reaction device to provide thrust from fluid underpressure, comprising first and second members between which relativethrust is exerted, first means defining a plurality of adjacent firstbuckets in a first of said members, second means defining complementaryadjacent second buckets in a second of said members, fluid inlet meansin said first means adjacent a side of each of said first buckets anddirected toward an aligning second bucket on the second of said membersadjacent one side thereof, said second buckets in said second memberincluding wall means shaped to direct fluid into a return path anddischarge fluid from said second member back toward a bucket in saidfirst member from which fluid was received, said buckets including wallmeans positioned to give a thrust output in direction parallel to fluidmotion between the sections.

6. The combination as specified in claim 5 wherein each of said secondbuckets in said second member include exhaust opening means in thecentral portions thereof.

7. The combination as specified in claim 5 wherein each of the first andsecond buckets have lateral side walls forming chambers withunobstructed openings between said side walls.

8. The device of Claim 5 wherein said first member is a rotating membermoving relative to said second member.

9. A thrust producing unit for producing thrust from fluid underpressure to move a second member relative to a first member in adirection of travel comprising a first thruster section mounted in saidfirst member, said first thruster section including a plurality of firstbuckets, each of said first buckets being defined by a first main wallterminating along a line substantially normal to the direction ofmovement of the second member and oblique to the plane of movement ofthe second member, said main walls being spaced in direction ofmovement, setparate wall means joined to each of said mam walls to ormseparate first chambers between adjacent main walls and having openingsopen toward the second member, each of said separate wall means havingspaced side wall portions, which are substantially aligned in directionperpendicular to the direction of travel of the second member, and acurved end wall joining said side wall portions to cause fluid flowtoward the curved end wall portion along a first side wall portion tochange direction to flow toward the second member adjacent a second sidewall portion, second bucket means on said second member, each comprisinga second main wall aligning with the direction of extension of the firstmain walls of said first buckets, said second bucket means on saidsecond member including second separate wall means positioned betweenadjacent second main walls to form separate second chambers open indirection toward said first member, said second separate wall means eachincluding spaced second side wall portions and a second curved wallportion joining said spaced second side wall portions to cause fluidflow entering the second chambers along one side wall portion of thesecond separate wall means to flow around the corresponding curved wallportion and along the other side wall portion toward the first member,nozzle means opening into each of the first buckets adjacent one sidethereof and being positioned to direct fluid flow therethrough along theside wall portions of aligning second buckets toward said first buckets,means defining a plenum chamber open to each of said nozzle means tosupply fluid under pressure to said nozzle means, said curved wallportions of said first and second buckets causing fluid flowing fromsaid nozzle to move in a recirculating path toward the aligning portionsof buckets on the two members, and fluid exhaust opening means in thecentral portions of each of the second buckets.

10. The thrust producing device of claim 9 wherein said second member isa rotating member moving relative to said first member.

1. A thrust producing unit for utilization of fluid pressure inpropelling levitated vehicles comprising first and second membersbetween which relative movement takes place along a plane, first meansdefining a plurality of buckets in a first of said members open indirection toward a second of said members, second means definingcomplementary buckets in a second of said members open in directiontoward said first member, fluid inlet means defined in a first bucket ona first of said members adjacent one side thereof to move fluid toward abucket on the second of said members, said buckets being shaped todirect fluid into a return path, whereby fluid from the bucket of saidsecond member is directed back toward said first bucket of said firstmember, and said first bucket in said first member further includingwall means to direct said fluid returned from the second member backtoward said second member.
 2. The combination as specified in claim 1wherein said buckets include wall means inclined at an oblique anglewith respect to the plane of movement of said members and the wall meansintersecting the plane of movement along a line which is substantiallyperpendicular to the direction of movement between the members.
 3. Thecombination as specified in claim 1 wherein each of said buckets in saidsecond member include exhaust opening means from the central portionsthereof to atmosphere.
 4. The combination as specified in claim 1wherein said members comprise a track and a levitated vehicle above saidtrack, said exhaust means being defined in the buckets in said levitatedvehicle.
 5. A fluid thrust reaction device to provide thrust from fluidunder pressure, comprising first and second members between whichrelative thrust is exerted, first means defining a plurality of adjacentfirst buckEts in a first of said members, second means definingcomplementary adjacent second buckets in a second of said members, fluidinlet means in said first means adjacent a side of each of said firstbuckets and directed toward an aligning second bucket on the second ofsaid members adjacent one side thereof, said second buckets in saidsecond member including wall means shaped to direct fluid into a returnpath and discharge fluid from said second member back toward a bucket insaid first member from which fluid was received, said buckets includingwall means positioned to give a thrust output in direction parallel tofluid motion between the sections.
 6. The combination as specified inclaim 5 wherein each of said second buckets in said second memberinclude exhaust opening means in the central portions thereof.
 7. Thecombination as specified in claim 5 wherein each of the first and secondbuckets have lateral side walls forming chambers with unobstructedopenings between said side walls.
 8. The device of Claim 5 wherein saidfirst member is a rotating member moving relative to said second member.9. A thrust producing unit for producing thrust from fluid underpressure to move a second member relative to a first member in adirection of travel comprising a first thruster section mounted in saidfirst member, said first thruster section including a plurality of firstbuckets, each of said first buckets being defined by a first main wallterminating along a line substantially normal to the direction ofmovement of the second member and oblique to the plane of movement ofthe second member, said main walls being spaced in direction ofmovement, separate wall means joined to each of said main walls to formseparate first chambers between adjacent main walls and having openingsopen toward the second member, each of said separate wall means havingspaced side wall portions, which are substantially aligned in directionperpendicular to the direction of travel of the second member, and acurved end wall joining said side wall portions to cause fluid flowtoward the curved end wall portion along a first side wall portion tochange direction to flow toward the second member adjacent a second sidewall portion, second bucket means on said second member, each comprisinga second main wall aligning with the direction of extension of the firstmain walls of said first buckets, said second bucket means on saidsecond member including second separate wall means positioned betweenadjacent second main walls to form separate second chambers open indirection toward said first member, said second separate wall means eachincluding spaced second side wall portions and a second curved wallportion joining said spaced second side wall portions to cause fluidflow entering the second chambers along one side wall portion of thesecond separate wall means to flow around the corresponding curved wallportion and along the other side wall portion toward the first member,nozzle means opening into each of the first buckets adjacent one sidethereof and being positioned to direct fluid flow therethrough along theside wall portions of aligning second buckets toward said first buckets,means defining a plenum chamber open to each of said nozzle means tosupply fluid under pressure to said nozzle means, said curved wallportions of said first and second buckets causing fluid flowing fromsaid nozzle to move in a recirculating path toward the aligning portionsof buckets on the two members, and fluid exhaust opening means in thecentral portions of each of the second buckets.
 10. The thrust producingdevice of claim 9 wherein said second member is a rotating member movingrelative to said first member.